LET Golf: Todo preparado en Rabat para el Lalla Meryem Cup 2024

                    

 EL Royal  Club de Golf  Dar Es Salam acogerá en Rabat( Marruecos )  una edición más del Lalla Meryem Cup uno de los torneos más espectaculares de la temporada  en el  LET Golf.  Está  dotado con 450.000 euros tendrá en su línea de partida a once jugadoras españolas que lucharán por una victoria que no será fácil. En la nómina de participantes destacan  Anne van Dam, Chiara Noja, Manon de Roy o Kristyna Napoleova.

 En la presencia de la "Armada" estarán Ana Peláez, Nuria Iturrioz, Carmen Alonso, maría Hernández, Marta Sanz, Luna Sobrón, Fátima Fernández Cano, Teresa Toscano, Teresa Díaz Moliner, Paz Marfá y Marta Martín, que la semana pasada estaba como primera reserva del torneo y que finalmente ha entrado y que formará parte de la nómina de española que intentrán el triunfo en este torneo.

 El Lalla Meryem Cup, que ganó el año pasado la sueca Maja Stark, no contará con la sueca en esta ocasión aunque la presencia nordica será muy notable con la presencia de hasta siete jugadoras suecas.

Una cita que coincide con el anuncio por parte del LET de que la Escuela del LET se seguirá disputando en Marruecos durante los próximos tres años.

Las fechas de la Escuela de Clasificación Lalla Aicha de este año serán del 10 al 20 de diciembre de 2024. La Preclasificación se jugará en tres rondas del 10 al 12 de diciembre en cuatro sedes: Palm Golf Marrakech Ourika, Golf Club Rotana, Noria Golf Club y Samanah Golf diseñados por Jack Nicklaus. La final de la escuela se jugará a cinco rondas del 16 al 20 de diciembre en dos sedes: Royal Golf Marrakech y Al Maaden Golf Marrakech.

Ángel Cabrera vuelve al Champions Tour en el Trophee Hassan II, en Rabat

 Seis meses después de su salida de la cárcel, Ángel Cabrera retorna a la competición viajando hasta Marruecos para tomar parte en el Trophee Hassan II del Champions Tour, Circuito Senior del PGA; evento que arranca este jueves en el Royal Golf Dar Es Salam de Rabat.

Tras pasar 30 meses en prisión, el juez Cristóbal Laje Ros se encargaba de otorgarle la condicional al jugador argentino, tras someterse previamente a un examen psicológico. “Cabrera ha interiorizado todos los errores que ha cometido y se arrepiente de todo el daño causado”, informaba el propio jurista en unas declaraciones a una televisión local. “Es por ello que se ha adoptado la decisión de otorgarle la libertad condicional”, señalaba la misma fuente.

Según Golfweek, Cabrera también recibió una invitación para jugar en el Insperity Invitational, también del Champions Tour, en Texas a principios de mayo. Para ello, el golfista argentino, poseedor de dos Grandes, necesitará obtener un visado, lo que también podría ser un obstáculo para jugar en el Masters, que ganó en 2009, en abril como ex campeón. Cabrera no necesita visado para viajar a Marruecos y jugar allí. También se espera que la próxima semana dispute el 117 Argentina Open del Korn Ferry Tour, división de plata del PGA.

Ángel Cabrera disputó su primer evento profesional el pasado mes de diciembre desde que saliera de la cárcel el 4 de agosto tras cumplir más de dos años de condena por casos de violencia de género contra dos de sus exnovias. Cabrera terminó T-10 en el Abierto del Litoral, un torneo celebrado en su Argentina natal. 

                  

Dates confirmed for historic Hong Kong Open

                                                 

 

The Hong Kong Open, the celebrated tournament at the core of the Asian golf calendar for over six decades, will be played from November 21-24 this year – at the fabled Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC), Fanling.   Offering lucrative prizemoney of US$2 million, the event will play a pivotal role in shaping the conclusion of the Asian Tour season. For the second year in succession, it will also form part of The International Series – 10 elevated events that are integrated into the Asian Tour schedule providing a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

“This year marks the 63rd staging of the Hong Kong Open, and the Hong Kong Golf Club is excited to see it once again positioned as one of the season-ending tournaments, when there is so much to play for,” said Andy Kwok, Captain, HKGC – who are celebrating their 135th anniversary this year.   “We are looking to build on last year’s successful tournament, boosting the event and the club’s stature in the game by welcoming back a wonderful selection of world-class golfers and fans from right across the Greater Bay Area and beyond.” A world-class line up of players will return and will gradually be unveiled over the next few months, for a tournament that is one of only two events in the history of the game to be hosted at the same venue for over six decades - alongside The Masters Tournament at Augusta.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour said: “At the end of last year we were delighted to announce our initial schedule for 2024, which featured the Hong Kong Open – being able to confirm the dates today allows us to take a step another closer to completing the jigsaw.   “The Hong Kong Open and the Hong Kong Golf Club are woven into the fabric of the Asian Tour, and so it is always key to our success to have all aspects of the event confirmed early on. The Club’s iconic course was voted by our members as the joint best course of the year last season, and I am sure more accolades await this year. We thank the Club, their captain Andy Kwok and Ian Gardner the General Manager, plus the Golf Association of Hong Kong China for their ongoing support and commitment.”   New Zealander Ben Campbell raised the trophy last November after a gripping finish. He wrote his name into Hong Kong Open folklore with a gutsy victory, draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green to defeat playing partners Cam Smith from Australia and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai. Campbell had not led at any stage of the tournament until that brilliant last putt. The Asian Tour currently boasts 21 events visiting 13 countries with a significant number of important tournaments to be added. Once finalised it is expected that the schedule will surpass last year– which saw 23 events staged with aggregate prize money of US$35 million.

Rick Shiels Golf Show reaches massive milestone of 250,000 subscribers on YouTube

 

The Rick Shiels Golf Show, which launched in November 2019 has now amassed more than a quarter of a million subscribers on YouTube.

Fronted by the world’s most watched online golf personality Rick Shiels - whose original YouTube channel has 2.75M subscribers - the eponymous podcast first aired on the video sharing platform in February 2020 and has subsequently received 33M views with 5.7M hours of content watched.

Ranked by Chartable among the top 10 golf podcasts in 89 countries, including 36 where it is number one, fans of The Rick Shiels Golf Show have become accustomed to regular appearances from a world class guestlist.

Among those to have graced the airwaves alongside Shiels and regular co-host Guy Charnock, are: multiple major-winners and Team Europe legends for the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup respectively, Sir Nick Faldo and Annika Sörenstam; plus global stars Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Ian Poulter and Adam Scott.

Besides this golf royalty, the podcast has also welcomed those whose celebrity status extends beyond sport, with appearances from Angels singer and 18-time BRIT Awards winner Robbie Williams and former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond.

After reaching the significant milestone, Shiels said: “There is an ever-increasing appetite for quality golf content, which we pride ourselves on.

“We have been particularly successful capturing a youthful audience of under 35-year-olds which represents more than 50 per cent of our following.

“I am tremendously grateful to every viewer and listener, all the brilliant guests we’ve had and the phenomenal team behind the scenes who are part of the Rick Shiels Media family that help ensure the ongoing success of all our channels.”

Guy Charnock, Head of Brand and Content, said: "It’s incredible to think how much the podcast has grown since we started; especially when you start thinking about the number of downloads around the world too! We have to pinch ourselves sometimes. At the end of the day, it’s just Rick and I talking about golf but we’ve attracted some incredible guests and the world’s best fans!”

Rick Shiels Media boasts an impressive audience of more than 5.8M across all platforms, receiving 50M views per month.

The Rick Shiels Golf Show is available on YouTube and all major podcast streaming platforms, such as Spotify, with new episodes released weekly on Tuesday.

For more information, visit: rickshiels.com

Q-School graduate Broberg finally ready for the big time at International Series Oman

                                    

Kristoffer Broberg makes his eagerly awaited debut on both The International Series and the Asian Tour this week after securing his card at the start of the season, and the Q-School graduate is relieved to be finally making things happen at the stunning Al Mouj Golf course in Oman after a minor delay to proceedings. The Swede secured his card in January thanks to a sensational display at Springfield Royal Country Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, where three eagles on two, 12 and 18 helped him to a stunning victory and one of 35 cards on the Asian Tour for the season.

Family illness prevented the 35-year-old from making his debut last weekend at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open. But he’s back and eager to take on a world-class field that features LIV Golf rising star David Puig, last week’s champion in Kuala Lumpur, and Joaquin Niemann, the Torque GC captain who fired an incredible 59 on his way to victory at the LIV Golf Mayakoba at the start of the season. Other golfing heavyweights in the field this week include Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, as well as Puig’s Spanish compatriot and Fireballs GC team-mate Eugenio Chacarra, a winner on The International Series at the St Andrews Bay Championship in Scotland last season. Broberg is eager to get going after trading the long Swedish winter for some welcome Omani sun, despite having less than ideal preparation for his big debut. A Swede, a winner on the BMW Masters in 2015 and the Dutch Open in 2021, explained: “I was supposed to play in Malaysia last weekend but my daughter got sick at Kindergarten, and I didn’t want to travel in case I was carrying the bug, so I waited at home. “I have taken three days in Dubai trying to practice, but otherwise I have been indoors (in Sweden). I flew back the same night I won it (Q-School) and I haven’t been outdoors since! But my game felt pretty good. “I don’t have any expectations. I will take it one shot at a time – golf is golf and you never know. You can hit bad shots and make a long putt, and hit some great shots and miss the easy putt.”

While Broberg is philosophical about his own game, he’s under no illusions about the strength of the field assembling for the first event on The International Series, the Asian Tour-sanctioned pathway onto the LIV Golf League. The winner of this season’s rankings on The International Series will earn a direct spot on the LIV Golf League roster, following in the footsteps of 2022 and 2023 champions Scott Vincent and Andy Ogletree, who earned lucrative, life-changing spots on Iron Heads GC and HyFlyers GC respectively. That carrot has attracted the cream of the Asian Tour, with Gaganjeet Bhullar, Ben Campbell and Sarit Suwannarut, all champions on The International Series last season, in the field vying for top spot on the 2024 rankings alongside reigning International Series Oman champion Takumi Kanaya. Other Asian Tour favourites include Taichi Kho, Broberg’s fellow Q-School graduate John Catlin and Denwit Boriboonsub, a three-time winner at the end of last season. All three showed real promise last week in Malaysia. Broberg said: “It’s great to see such a strong field - good for the Asian Tour to have all the best players compete. When you can play against top talent, you get to see where you stand on your level and it will be great to compete against those guys. I think it is amazing these guys have come to play.” For more information on International Series Oman, click here.

Tavatanakit claims first win since 2021 Major, goes wire-to-wire at Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF

                       

After Tavatanakit’s Major win in her 2021 rookie season caught the headlines, the road back to the top of the leaderboard has been one littered with hardships, with the freshly crowned champion speaking frankly about mental health challenges. 

“It's been really difficult, but those struggles gave me a lot of strength,” Tavanakit reflected.  

“I learned a lot, and I grew a lot from it as well - looking back, I’m grateful for all the moments, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”  

“You go down [mentally], and you're down there to go up one day, and that’s kind of true with golf and life. I'm definitely getting the highs this week, and then we'll see what the future holds.” 

“But today, I went out there like I came to play golf, and I had a lot of fun today. Regardless of the outcome I told myself to enjoy it, and I really did.” 

 

Esther Heinseleit of Germany followed up a blistering seven-under-par 65 on day three with a solid three-under-par on the final day, asserting herself in second place and earning $450k from the lucrative prize fund. 

There was a late charge for Japan’s Minami Katsu, the eight-time LPGA tour of Japan winner who recorded her first professional win at the age of just 15 in 2014. 

Katsu followed up a front nine of four-under-par, with a run of four birdies to begin her back nine, before finishing seven-under-par after a bogey on the 16th hole. 

 

Meanwhile, England’s Charley Hull was unable to capitalise on her 68 from day three, but a respectable two-under-par was enough to lock in a T3 finish ahead of a big year for Hull, with Olympic aspirations in mind. 

The prestigious tournament lived up to its much-anticipated billing in Saudi Arabia’s capital, with the history making tournament attracting thousands of locals to Riyadh Golf Club across the four days. 

To view the full final day leaderboard for the event, click here.  

Hotel room flood can't hold back Hull, as floodgates open for World No.8 in hunt for Tavatanakit

                            

At the top of the tree Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit remained calm and composed, as a solid round of three-under-par moved her one step closer to her first Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF title, sitting four strokes clear at 11-under-par overall. 

The gravity of the opportunity for Tavatanakit to claim her first win since her Major victory at the 2021 ANA Championship is not lost on the Thai star – addressing the pressure of the moment head on. 

“Honestly, you have to think about [winning], right?”, said Tavatanakit. “You're thinking about it, so what are you going to do about those thoughts? 

“Tomorrow, all I want to do is make the right choices for each and every shot. Whatever it is that I'm going to face, I'm up for it.” 

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Elsewhere, it was a day to remember for two of the German players, as Alexandra Forsterling’s clinical five-under-par was later bested by her compatriot Esther Henselheit, who fired a blistering seven-under-par, with her score of 65 moving her firmly into contention in second place. 

Heinseleit commended her fiancé Reece Phillips for his impactful role, which extends beyond moral support. As her coach and caddie, the Englishman Phillips has played a significant role in the German’s development. 

“He’s certainly doing it all in one,” laughed Heinseleit at the unusual blend of roles. “He’s been helping me a lot with my swing over the last three years, and it looks completely different now. We have a good system now out there, and it’s good to have someone like that on the bag.” 

“I hit lots of fairways and then hit my irons really close – there were lots of short birdie putts for me, and I pretty much made all of them.”  

                    

 

Former Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF champions Georgia Hall and Emily Pedersen also fought bravely to ascend the leaderboard, with Hall’s three-under-par bringing her into seventh place. 

2020 champion Pedersen, however, recorded a sizzling six-under-par to join Charley Hull tied for third place, and the Danish No.1 is keen to make the most of the opportunity she’s given herself. 

“It was special for me to win [in Saudi Arabia] five years ago, so it would mean a lot to win again and obviously, that's what I'm here for,” said Pedersen. 

“It's nice to be in contention as much as possible, it's where you feel you're alive and it's what all of the hard works comes down to.” 

The race for the largest prize-funded Ladies European Tour (LET) event outside of the Majors is approaching a pulsating climax, with a host of superb performances on day three setting up a grandstand finish. 

 

Lexi Thompson Set to Shine in Tampa at the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF

                         

The Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF lands back onto the shores of Tampa Bay to kick off the 2024 series. Gearing up for its fourth year, the first-of-its-kind event series lands in Tampa Bay for the very first time, with the elite of women’s golf set to compete at Feather Sound Country Club, Clearwater, on 8-10 March 2024.

 

The field in Tampa is set to boast an array of talent, spearheaded by Florida’s very own Lexi Thompson. The Major winner and Solheim Cup star will be hunting her 16^th professional win and looking to add a second Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF trophy to her collection.

 

 

Thompson won’t be short of hungry competition, with European Solheim Cup foe and last year’s tournament winner Carlota Ciganda looking to prove her worth once again against one of the LPGA greats.

 

Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Tampa is the only opportunity for European golfers on the Ladies European Tour (LET) to get solid experience on US soil before heading back stateside to do battle for the Solheim Cup in September.

Established in 2021, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF is a unique three-day event where teams of three professionals and one amateur combine, battling for the prestigious team trophy. Meanwhile, the overall top performing golfer vies for the individual title and a win on the LET.

This groundbreaking tournament showcases the exceptional skill and teamwork of these golfers and emphasizes a broader influence on the sport, through its #SEETheImpact campaign.

Beyond the competition, the series is committed to empowering women and girls in golf, focusing on the social, economic, and environmental ways to help drive more participation.

This year, the series spans five locations, across three continents: Tampa Bay, Seoul, London, a city in Asia yet to be announced, and Riyadh – with a substantial $1 million prize purse at stake in each event.

 

 

As the first city on the worldwide series, Tampa will provide a stern test for any golfer looking to take the crown – least of all due to the fearsome Lexi Thompson’s desire to win once again in her home state.  

 

On kickstarting the 2024 series in Tampa, Lexi Thompson said: "With the Aramco Team Series returning to Florida this year, it was a no-brainer to put myself in contention for the event. It’s always great to be able to compete at home with that local support, especially to do so in such a unique tournament that has so much collaborative spirit.

 

“I’m going to head out there with my eyes on the trophy. To win at home on the Aramco Team Series would undoubtedly be a real highlight for me. To be a part of an event that not only celebrates skill but also champions women’s golf, at home and beyond, is truly special.”

 

Situated in Clearwater, Tampa, the 18-hole championship golf course at Feather Sound Country Club will offer an enjoyable challenge to the field – with the Par 72, 7,332 yard championship golf course renowned for its demanding greens.

 

 

Shane Crawford, General Manager, Feather Sound Country Club expressed: "It is a true honor for Feather Sound Country Club to extend a warm welcome to the Aramco Team Series in Tampa.

 

“Hosting an event of this caliber allows us to contribute to the continued growth of golf here in Tampa, and we look forward to creating an unforgettable experience for participants and spectators alike.

 

“Our recently redesigned golf course will be a wonderful host to the tournament, and we are looking forward to seeing Lexi Thompson and the rest of the field exciting the spectators.”

 

As well as world-class golf, fans can discover cutting-edge activities like e-gaming and immersive VR/AR experiences at the Aramco Energy Zone. The fan zone stage will showcase performances for all ages, alongside attractions including an AR art exhibition, and tantalizing food and beverage offerings, promising an unforgettable event.

 

Competition blown away by Thai star Tavatanakit in round one of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF

                           

 

Wind speeds may have reached 30mph today in the Riyadh desert, but Thailand’s unshakable Patty Tavatanakit converted her early morning start into a position at the top of the leaderboard in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF. 

A red-hot back nine saw Tavatanakit emerge as the frontrunner at Riyadh Golf Club, with her stellar performance including seven birdies and just one blemish on the scorecard, to end with a 66, leading by one stroke at six-under-par.

"I just blacked out the first four holes,” admitted leader Tavatanakit. “But I was proud of the way I played today as the conditions were really, really tough.  

“My commitment was 110%, which is what I've been working on this off season a lot - I’m just happy to walk away with everything I did with my processes, regardless of the outcome. I really enjoyed it.” 

 

Since Alison Lee’s dramatically low score at Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Riyadh 2023, the course has been made longer and tougher, and the difference in the scoreboard between the events demonstrates just that. 

South African Paula Reto was another to navigate the conditions well though, with a five-under-par finish on her first competitive outing at Riyadh Golf Club - after missing the cut at the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF.  

"I gave myself some good opportunities and committed to the lines of the targets off the tee and to the green," Reto explained, shedding light on her strategy for tackling the course's challenges. 

“Patience is a word we always use, but just being able to see and feel the shot, and maybe not as an as an aggressive swing, a little bit of a slower club, that type of thing can really help.” 

  

For Dane Nicole Broch Estrup, there is redemption on her mind – after a promising tournament came to a premature end in October 2023, disqualified due to incorrect scoring at the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Riyadh. 

Finishing today -4 and in T3 with an impressive eagle on the par five 12th hole, Estrup was acutely aware of the new challenges of the course, after the greenkeepers lengthened the fairways following Alison Lee’s record-breaking win. 

“The course has changed and is playing longer. Then obviously, with the windy conditions today, it’s very different from when we were here in October. 

“I do enjoy playing in windy conditions. I think you’ve got to be a good ball striker to make your way around in these conditions. I see myself as a good ball striker, so it was a good start.” 

Belgium’s Manon De Roey shares third place with Broch Estrup, with an eventful front nine that saw her record five birdies and two bogies – before finishing up on four-under-par.

 

There was less success for World No.8 Charley Hull, who finished the day +2, whilst American Lexi Thompson’s steady round of even par (E) will keep her in touching distance of the top of the leaderboard for now. 

With the wind set to continue on Day Two at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF, it remains to be seen whether the likes of former champions Georgia Hall (+1) and Emily Pedersen (-1) can build up a head of steam and claim a second title. 

Luis Nigorra, presidente de la AECG: “La AECG consolida su proyecto al aumentar su cuota de representación al 55% y superar los 200 campos asociados”

 

Entre el esto de hitos alcanzados se encuentran:  - Superar los más de 200 campos españoles adheridos, que supone una cuota de  representación del 55%.   - Puesta en marcha del proyecto que aunará toda la oferta de golf español. - La firma del convenio colectivo estatal de instalaciones deportivas y gimnasios. - Ahorros catastrales producidos en campos de golf en materia de IBI de hasta el 40%.   El año 2023 ha finalizado para la Asociación Española de  Campos de Golf (AECG), presidida desde 2021 por Luis Nigorra, “con importantes hitos alcanzados que vienen a refrendar el trabajo que desde esta Asociación se está realizando desde sus inicios, hace ahora ocho años (noviembre de 2015), con el firme objetivo de  defender y promover los intereses sociales y económicos del sector del golf”, tal y como  declara su presidente.   En este sentido, cabe destacar, en palabras de Nigorra, “los más de 200 campos adheridos con los que la AECG cerraba el 2023, una cifra que supone una cuota de representación del 55% del total de campos de golf españoles, todo un hito para la Asociación, y algo inusual en  el seno de las asociaciones, que avala el crecimiento de esta Organización de manera sólida  y sostenible”. La AECG es una institución sin ánimo de lucro y con vocación integradora, que vertebra el sector generando valor añadido a sus miembros; en ella conviven todo tipo de  campos de todas las comunidades autónomas con independencia de su conformación  jurídica: Asociaciones Deportivas, Sociedades Mercantiles, campos públicos, etc.  Este 2023 también ha supuesto la puesta en marcha de un proyecto de gran relevancia para el sector del golf denominado ‘Digital Green España: Transformación Digital e integración  local de la experiencia de golf en España’ que, contemplado dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resilicencia, y financiado con Fondos Europeos Next Generation, “posibilitará aunar toda la oferta turística de golf español a través de una web específica del destino España, que la hará más competitiva, generando sinergias que combinen los  diferentes recursos de los que se dispone en nuestro país (gastronomía, cultura, etc.) y  planificando una estrategia dirigida a dar a conocer las características diferenciadoras de este  producto turístico, en el que se combina la práctica de un apasionante deporte con la  realización de un viaje singular a un destino líder como es España. No en vano, nuestro país es motor turístico de la economía española con la visita de 1,2 millones de turistas al año  motivados, principalmente, por el golf. Un tipo de turista que visita España en temporada  baja y media, produciendo la desestacionalización del turismo, pernocta más noches y tiene  un mayor poder adquisitivo: 7 de cada 8 euros que gasta lo hace en otros sectores ajenos al  golf: tiendas, hoteles, ocio, etc., generando una facturación de más de 12.700 millones de  euros (directa, indirecta e inducida)”, como señala Nigorra.   Además, el presidente de la AECG destaca que “a través de este proyecto se están realizando  sendos estudios de los que se concluirán datos que mostrarán la realidad de la industria del  golf en nuestro país”. De este modo, la Fundación del Instituto de Empresa (IE) está  desarrollando el estudio económico del sector para actualizar los datos del anterior estudio  realizado en 2019, y del que se extraían datos relevantes que demostraban que el golf es  generador de industria y riqueza en España. También se está trabajando con Origensolutions en otro estudio sobre el índice de sostenibilidad para medir la huella de carbono de los  campos de golf, y en un tercer estudio en colaboración con la Universidad de Cádiz para obtener información veraz sobre el uso del agua en los campos de golf españoles con el fin de obtener una imagen de la situación actual de los mismos, concienciando, así, sobre la óptima gestión y buenas prácticas del agua en los campos. “Y todo ello irá vertebrado a  través de una estrategia de comunicación y marketing para, por un lado, difundir esos datos  y revertir la imagen distorsionada del sector a través de los medios de comunicación y, por  otro, comercializar España como destino de golf”, apunta Nigorra.   Por otro lado, en 2023 se producía la firma del V Convenio Colectivo Estatal de Instalaciones  Deportivas y Gimnasios, en cuya mesa negociadora ha estado presente la Asociación  Española de Campos de Golf, y que ha supuesto modificaciones relevantes para el sector con  respecto al anterior convenio colectivo, de las que se destacan: Se suprime la remisión al Convenio Colectivo de Jardinera para el personal de  mantenimiento de los campos de golf, por lo que todo el personal de los campos de  golf, sin distinción alguna, queda incluido en el ámbito de aplicación del V Convenio  de Instalaciones Deportivas y Gimnasios.  El régimen de los contratos fijos discontinuos queda modificado. La novedad más  relevante es que se permite la suscripción de esta modalidad de contratos a tiempo  parcial.  Se aprueban las tablas salariales para toda la vigencia del convenio colectivos, desde  el 1 de mayo de 2023 a 31 de diciembre de 2025.  La AECG también cerraba este pasado año con la noticia de los ahorros catastrales que se  están produciendo en muchos campos de golf, relativos a los trabajos de revisión catastral  y de optimización del Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (IBI), fruto de las gestiones iniciadas  desde la Asociación Española de Campos de Golf ante la Dirección General de Catastro, y  que conllevan en su conjunto un ahorro de entre el 10% y el 30% y, en algunos casos, de hasta el 40%. En palabras de Nigorra, “se trata de otro éxito para el sector que aplaudimos,  pues la Dirección General de Catastro reconoce ahora que la zona de outrough no sea tratada  como construcción, y no se incluya a efectos del cómputo de la valoración catastral de la  construcción, provocando con ello una disminución del valor catastral y, en consecuencia, de la carga tributaria, un hecho del que ya se han beneficiado algunos campos y otros tantos  están en proceso de revisión”.  En definitiva, “la Asociación Española de Campos de Golf finaliza 2023 y encara 2024 con  ilusiones renovadas y la satisfacción de consolidar un proyecto que, aunque aún tenga pocos  años de vida (en noviembre de 2025 se cumplirán 10 años de su fundación) ha demostrado  su viabilidad en la defensa y promoción de la industria del golf. No en vano, a lo largo de  estos dos últimos años la Asociación también ha crecido en estructura y en la actualidad la  conforman a nivel ejecutivo tres personas a tiempo completo que trabajan a diario por la  consecución de los objetivos marcados”, concluye Luis Nigorra.